Fateful leters
by kurenohikari
Summary: Nine days before the coronation first prince Izana was strolling around the castle, with his fiancé Haki and his most loyal advisor Lord Haruka, checking that the preparations were going fine when he overhears a conversation of his little brother. What will happen with his upcoming wedding when he finds out that his true love didn't end up turning into a priest and can marry?
1. From misunderstandings and truths

"Zen? What's wrong you seem down?" Shirayuki asked me worriedly. How I hated to concern her, but this is about my brother "Is it about the coronation? Are you by any chance nervous?".

"It's not that... well, at least not completely" I replied absentmindedly, my concentration still in the memories of a time were my brother was truly happy "It's about his engagement to Haki" I confessed solemnly.

"It was a surprise, wasn't it? But I am so happy, Haki is such an amazing person!" Shirayuki exclaimed excitedly, even Obi was nodding his head in accordance. Mitsuhide and Kiki were the only ones who seem to catch my bad mood about the topic.

"She might be the best person of the world, but still he have to break the engagement" everyone looked at me shocked, they would have started protesting if it wasn't by the raw determination they saw in my eyes "Do you want to know the true reason why he trained so much? Why he did his best effort to be the perfect prince and future king? So no one would be able to protest or pester him about choosing a wife who isn't royalty. And that wife he dreamed every night about for years, and still waits for, isn't Haki" I could see that their anger at my statement before was gone, seeing that it wasn't something I had against Haki but me fighting for the true love of my aniki "Since he was a kid he had a pen pal from another country, the letter had gotten to our chamber by mistake. It was meant for a lord who had recently deceased. However, to know this he had to open the letter and read it. Izana-nisama was impressed by it, that as crystal clear. So, he write a reply and even if he didn't admit it I knew that he expected excitedly a letter back from that person. I still remember the day he got a reply as if it was yesterday, ever since the queen had to leave the palace a black cloud of depression seem to follow both of us. However, _that_ those clouds dispersed an a bright sun seem to emerge from between them. My brother smiled so brightly and wide that I thought it might break his face from the effort of maintaining such a big smile. I knew, even if he never said it, that he fell in love with his pen pal. At the beginning it might have been only a very good friendship, knowing that he wasn't alone in this world. But then it became love" I punched the wall in frustration and looked down so my bangs would hide my tears eyes.

"Zero" Shirayuki murmured softly, she stepped closer, surely to comfort me, but I wave her away. I took a deep breath and straightened before continuing.

"My brother adored his Bloody Princess, and worried for her every day as her country was in war at the beginning of their letter exchange. He loved her so much, that he lowered his shields a bit letting me catch glimpse of the little kid he had to hid so he could protect me. The hurry he always had to finish his obligations so he would get to his chamber rapidly and find a new letter. The excitement was clear when you saw his eyes lit as shining stars. He even spent years and a lot of money in remodelling a section of the east tower for her... as a wedding present" I almost whispered the last part, sadly for my heartbroken brother "However, one day a couple of years back the clouds came back and his shields went up, this time higher than the last time. I never saw his lit as they did before, or write a letter to someone that wasn't for work... His Bloody Princess had entered a convent to worship the Gods she so much loved, however being a priest meant that she had to give up men from her life".

"Poor Izana" Shirayuki commented sadly, at the edge of tears.

"Wait a moment, does this girl by any chance be from the Japan country?" Obi asked me nervously, he seemed on edge.

"Yes, why?" I questioned confused at how he knew that.

Obi threw his head backwards and laughed... relieved? Everyone looked at him as if he had lost his head.

"Then you have nothing to worry, as soon as you give your brother this news he will break his engagement to Haki as soon as you can saw Clarines" he assured me "The Bloody Princess as you and your brother know her as, is known worldwide as the Princess Sakura from the Japan country who had at a young age had escaped the palace to go to the borders and fight with the peasants. Her training, strategy and wickedness with a whip was what lead Japan to a victory in the most ruthless war Japan had ever gone through".

"Wait, she is a princess?!" Everyone, I as well, exclaimed surprised.

"Your brother didn't tell her that he was a prince, did he?" Obi asked me, but it was almost a statement more than a question as if he just needed my answer to confirm something not to know something.

"Yes, why?" I replied.

"Well, your master. You are lucky cause I was one of those peasants she so trained" my shock was clearly visible in my face, cause Obi chuckled when he gazed towards me "I am originally from Japan, but during the war i lost my whole family and saw a lot of horrible things... had to do a lot of horrible things in the name of Sakura-hime. So I left, but never forgot about her or about how the best part of her day was to come to the shelter and find a letter. She confessed to me that she never told the other person about her origins because she didn't want to be treated as a princess, but as an equal. She loves your brother as much as you say he loves her".

"Then why did she chose to be a priest?!" Everyone froze at that unexpected voice... the voice of my aniki. We looked towards the origin of the sound and found my brother heading towards us in a fast pace, with lord Haruka and Haki closely behind him. Haki looked as if she was going to throw up, on that moment I felt bad for her but I remembered that my brother's happiness comes first than a strange woman's one "Answer me?!" He demanded to know, anger and desperation clear in his eyes.

I almost sighed relieved when I noticed that momently his shields were down again, it was what I needed to know that his heartbreak didn't break him completely. That there was still a chance to save him from the darkness of his clouds.

"You never told her that you were a prince, your highness" my eyes widened at Obi's tone. It was full of spite and hate... maybe because brother made his ex-mistress sad? "She loved you so much that she didn't want to spend the rest of her life next to anyone else but you. There was no way that ot... the king would have let her marry someone who wasn't royalty after the war, since they needed as much alliances as they could. Even now, years after the war Japan still needs the assurance of having alliances with countries that have money and armies to help them just in case. Sakura-sama knew that her father would have made her marry someone, so she hided in the convent".

"She gave up to the chance of having a family for me?" Aniki murmured, both in sadness and awe "Being a mother was her dream...".

 _So that's why not marrying was such a big deal... wow, she loved brother so much that she gave up her dream for him. I can't begin to imagine what happiness my brother should be feeling right now. But at least the sun is coming out, little by little, but coming out at least._ I thought happily.

"What she had always desired was a family, but not with anyone... her dream was a family with you" Obi confessed, the declaration and the meaning of those words weren't lost to anyone.

"Could she stop being a priest?" Surprisingly it was lord Haruka the one who made that question.

"If a priest goes back on her words, they will be buried alive and sentence to an eternity in hell" I couldn't stop myself from gasping, but what totally broke me was how pale and heartbroken my brother looked.

"Then there is nothing we can do, there is no way I will sentence my Bloody Princess to that" my brother stated.

"But for that she should be a priest" everyone froze one again and looked at Obi as if he had grown a second head "You see, as I said before the king needs as much alliances as he can. He has two daughter and one son, two of them were married to a princess and second prince from already allied countries. That was done so they wouldn't think of taking their support to Japan away. So the king forbade Sakura-ama to became a priest, she had been dodging proposal after proposal fro two years. And what's worse was that she didn't have you to support her... that broke her".

"She is not a priest... she loves me... and her father wants her to marry a prince with money, power and army..." aniki said, the same bright and big smile I saw that fateful day was back "Which means she can..."

"Be your wife" Haki ended the phrase for him. Everyone shut up and looked at her, their expression differed from pity to concern and worry.

"Haki..." my brother started, guilt clear on his voice.

"It's ok Izana, I always knew that your heart was never mine... I just let myself dream for way too long" I could see the unshed tears in her eyes "Go, prepare everything for her, I'll be ok... just make sure to gain her 'yes'".

"Obi is Sakura-hime coming to the coronation?" I demanded to know.

"Yes, she is arriving in two days" I replied.

"A week early?" Kiki asked.

"Yes, how do you think that she won a war so young? She is coming early to make a strategy and know the unknown territory that this castle is. During gatherings is when it's easier to make an attack, and a coronation where royalty from different countries come... let's just say you are an easier target. That's why in case anything happens, she will have a back up plan or an escape route" Obi explained.

I was in awe at how prepared Sakura-hime was. No wonder why my brother fell for her, they were made for each other. Both were calculative, strategists and intelligent. If I ever needed any reassurance about my brother's feelings for Sakura-hime it was given to me when I saw the smile full of pride and adoration my brother flashed for a second when he heard Obi's answer.

 _Well, bad habits die hard_. I thought when I saw my brother's shields building up again. But at least this time was reassured that Sakura-hime will be of help.

"It seems that you'll have a new friend Kiki" Mitsuhide commented, chuckling at the awe expression in Kiki's face "Auch!" He exclaimed when Kiki elbowed him, this time my friends and I were the ones chuckling while Mitsuhide rubbed his ribs.

"Obi I order you to help my brother with everything he needs with his preparations to make sure Sakura-hime accepts his marriage proposal. After all, with the exception of my brother you are the one who knows her the best" I ordered him.

He looked shock for a second before smirking at me and saying "What you wish master".

I turned my gaze towards the sun and smiled, for the first time in forever things seem to look up.


	2. From strangers to lovers

The day that I would meet the love of my life finally came, and I can assure you I've never been so nervous in my life. However, I didn't show it, a future king can't show weakness. I was standing in the center, waiting for the carriages, with Lord Haruka behind me at my left and my brother at my right, Zen's friends behind him. But this formation was broken when my brother's messenger sneaked behind me.

"Excuse me your highness, I am sorry for forgetting to tell you this piece of information but with everything else I must have forgotten" he apologized, only my brother, lord Haruka and I were able to hear him with how low his tone is "During war princess Sakura, two more friends and I were a team, we fought together in the borders of our kingdom stopping the enemies from invading us… At least until our friends fell in love and had a baby. Jasmin, our female friend, was about to give birth during her seventh month… it was early but war wasn't the best conditions to have a child. The four of us were running for a safe shelter for her when we were ambushed… our two friends died, but not before princess Sakura used a dagger to open Jasmine's stomach and save the baby. She was named Yurika, she was adopted by my princess and I was named her godfather. If you ever want to have her as your queen you will have to accept and love her daughter as if she were yours. Otherwise, not even the love she has for you will help you. Cause she loves Yurika more than you… as a mother should" with that said he returned to his place, l three of us shocked and speechless.

"Are you ready to be a father aniki?" Zen asked me slowly, not knowing if his question was out of line.

"I don't know... but if it is with Sakura, maybe I am" I answered with a slight smile.

"Oh, goodness... I am going to be an uncle" Zen thought out loud, it was easy to see how much he was panicking. I should really start teaching him to hide his feelings, it will not be very good later one when he takes political duties.

"Relax little brother, you have your messenger to teach you everything you need to know about being Yurika's uncle" I assured him. Whatever he was going to reply was interrupted by the sound of trumpets, which signalled the arrival of guests "She's here" I said out loud, mostly to myself than to anyone else.

Then two carriages came through the gates, one of them surrounded by five horses mounted by, who surely are, her selective team of silent assassins. Zen's messenger told me about them, they were chosen and trained by her to guard her daughter and herself, and to fulfil any mission she orders them. But what they are very well known for is how they can ambush someone and kill them, to then disappear as ghosts. No one ever can link anything they do to them or their princess. Not even her family knows that they aren't just simple guards. How Obi knows about that... well, he used to be part of that team before he fled Japan. It was a big surprise to everyone, no one thought that he could have been an assassin. A thief and Schafer maybe, but not an assassin. But if I thought about, his abilities not only were espectacular whenever he fought but also were very different from a soldier or knight. He always attacks the weakest points of his enemies, for a clean and fast death... as a profesional assassin.

I was snapped out of my memories when one of the guards dismounted his horse to open the carriage's door. He extended his hand to help his princess descend. I stopped breathing when a dark beauty appeared, she had long straight raven black hair, pale white skin and bright onyx eyes. Eyes that shone with an innocence that shouldn't belong to someone who saw the horrors of war and the manipulation of the royal court, but they also had an edge that told you that she was looking for danger at every corner and when it appears she will be more than ready for it.

"That's Sakura-hime" I heard Obi telling my little brother and his friends.

"Welcome to our kingdom princess Sakura, it's an honor to have you here" I began getting closer to her, I grabbed her hand and bowed to kiss it's back, before flashing her one of my most honest smiles but without looking too desperate "And that must be your beautiful daughter Yurika, it's a pleasure to meet you as well young princess" I told the small girl that had just descended from the carriage.

She looked exactly as a copy of her adopted mother, the only difference was that her hair was chocolate not raven black. Also, you couldn't see anything but innocence and happiness in those young eyes. You could easily say that this girl didn't suffer anything in her short life. When Yurika smiled brightly at me, making the sun itself feel jealous at how bright her smile shone, I knew that what my brother's messenger meant. You couldn't meet this little girl and not like her, it was imposible. When my gaze returned to the dark beauty that holds my heart I saw a flicker of surprise in her eyes. Surely because most royals are bigots who would treat Yurika as an inferior because she was adopted and never consider her Sakura's true daughter, even less call her princess.

 _Good, it seems like I am on her good side... for now at least. I really hope she forgives me for leaving her alone for two years without even a goodbye letter._ I thought sadly.

"The pleasure and honor it's all ours prince Izana. And congratulations on your coronation" she replied, smiling brightly at me. It really made me question if she was only Yurika's adopted mother, they had the same smile.

"Thank you my lady" I replied "Would mind joining me for a stroll later? I've been told of your love for nature, and our palace's gardens are known for being one of the most beautiful ones".

Her expression never change, but I could see a glint in her eyes. I've pissed her off, she's always been the one with the information, but now she is in a strange land that she doesn't know and has found out that personal information about her has been revealed to a possible enemy.

"I would be honoured your highness… but may I know from where you found that information?" She asked sweetly, but I knew she knows.

 _Oh, what a delight she is. Manipulative, smart, beautiful and ruthless. A killing combination that has me on me knees._ I thought smitten.

"Rumors" I answered, kneeling down to pat her daughter's head softly and kindly. However, when I got up I stopped for a second to murmur to her "But I believe you know who told me that" two can play this game.

She looked at me, for the first time since she descended the carriage she _looked_ at me with curiosity "It's been a long time Obi, how's been life outside of Japan?".

"Better than I ever imagined possible, my queen" he almost purred.

"It's good to know where your loyalties lay" she said it with such a sweet tone and an innocence in her eyes that if you weren't paying a to her every moment, like I have been, you wouldn't have been able to see how the light in her eyes gloomed giving her sweet expression a darker meaning.

"I do only serve to please, my princess" Obi replied, aware of the danger he was in but not a bit worried at all. It made me wander how close they really were. The dark dangerous glint from before changed to one of confusion and frustration, she really doesn't like at all to be played with.

"Please let Obi escort you and your daughter to your chambers. Once you had rested from the long journey we can have our walk" I offered her.

She looked at me, eyes slowly analysing me. Surely trying to find any sign of danger or threat in me, when she didn't find any she accepted my offer politely and followed her ex soldier inside my… _our_ castle. The short wait was even worse than the one before she came here, maybe because I finally saw her and she is so close but at the same time so far away.

 _I hope that she accepts me, if she doesn't… I don't think I'll be able to stand rejection twice_. I thought worriedly, while I waited for her in the garden I built specially for her.

In one of her letters she confessed that she was worried that her father would make her marry someone who wasn't from her country and she'll have to change for him. That she wished that if that ever happened she would have a private garden where a small temple was in the right corner so she wouldn't have to betray her religion. Plants from her country specially a sakura tree, in the left corner, whose branches grew above a small lake where koi swan freely, so she wouldn't miss her country so much. And lastly bit not least a small Japanese traditional building in the center where she would be able to practice her dancing and make her own tea, so she wouldn't loose her traditions.

I was so immersed in my thought that I didn't notice someone entering, until said person gasped. I was ready to send them to prison only for entering, everyone knows it's banned to enter here. This place was meant to be only for her and me. However, I stood frozen when I saw that the one that entered was my bloody princess. A cristal clear look of pure shock adorned her face. Behind her I saw a smirking Obi closing the doors to give us privacy.

 _That damned bastard!_ I cursed in my head.

"He told you" I stated, there was no question of that.

"I didn't want to believe it, even when I saw the letters. You could have just stolen them… but this… this is a clear sign of your love for me… you love me, don't you?".

"More than anything" I replied honestly.

There was no way I could lie when I had the love of my life looking at me with such an open and ungraded expression. The next thing I knew I had an armfuls of princess… future queen if we want to be technical. At the end I didn't have to worry at all.


	3. From problems to weddings

I hated being away from my country, even when my kingdom became my own prison. Being in enemy territory is always bad news, a residue from my time at war. However, nothing compares to the rage I felt when I thought Obi, the one I considered my true brother, betrayed me. But afterwards, when he told me the truth... one I didn't want to believe. However, when I saw the private gardens I fantasized about for years... I knew that his words were true.

After the kiss I so bluntly stole from him, we couldn't let each other go. One thing led to the other and we ended up in the futon inside of the small house, naked after two sessions of love making. Not only once did I commit sin by letting a man bed me before marriage, but _twice_. My only relief and excuse was that I bedded the love of my life, one that I had loved and swore that would be the only one I would ever marry. Also, I know that he loves me with all his heart, that I wasn't just a game for him. As well as he proposed to me during one of his letters, I knew that he remembered it when Izana-kun slid an engagement ring on my finger.

"It was my mother's, I wanted you to have it" he told me when I looked at him shocked "I did promised to marry you, didn't I? Also, what kind of man I would be if I let you live in sin?".

"Not the man I fell in love with" I answered, kissing him once again "Let's dress, I need a bath and get ready for dinner tonight. Not only we will be announcing our marriage, but also you will tell your brother of the new family member. Because I will not marry you if you don't love my daughter as if she were yours? Not even if I have to live in sin for the rest of my life" I told him seriously, trying to sound firm and not show any sign of fear, fear of his rejection.

"She surely is an amazing girl, just like her mother. I'll love her as if she were mine" he promised me.

I could only smile at him, tears gathering in my eyes. Then we dressed and he walked me towards my chambers, were he left me to prepare for dinner with a gentle kiss on the back of my hand. I made sure to send one of my maids to Yurika's room to dress her in only the finest, we had to leave a good impression in our future family. When it was almost time for dinner I heard a knock on my door, it seems like Izana had come to escort us towards the dinning room. However, before we could say a word to each other a scream rang through the hall. I would recognise that voice anywhere...

"Yurika!" I yelled running towards my daughter's chambers at the end of the corridor. Izana got there before me, only because he didn't wear heels, sword ready to kill if needed. But it seems that we were late... the enemy was already dead. Kikio, my maid, was very skilled with knives and has one of the best aim I know. She must have thrown a knife straight to the masked man's heart "Yurika! Are you ok my love?" I fell on my knees right next to her. I was so preoccupied checking her for any injuries that I almost didn't notice my fiancé yelling at the guards to get a pharmacist here and to secure the zone "You didn't get hurt did you?".

"No mama. Kikio-neechan protected me" she answered slowly, still looking at the unmoving form on her chamber's floor.

"Thank you Kagome, I owe you for saving my daughter's life" I told my maid and good friend.

"I was just doing my duty, my lady. There is nothing to thank for" she replied politely, but I could notice in her eyes a glint of happiness at being recognised by her princess.

"I think otherwise, you didn't only save your princess' daughter but my future daughter as well. Ask for anything in my power and I'll give it to you" Izana intervened.

Kikio looked at me shocked, looking for conformation that I wanted this. If not, for any clue of how I wanted to proceed with the execution of Izana. I almost chuckled at how eager my team seem to kill for me, or start a war for my happiness. When I only shook my head, a sign to tell her not to worry she just looked even more surprised than before. However, that didn't stop her from answering the offer.

"Then, as I see we will be here for a long time no, I would like a temple. One that the ones that come with our princess can pray on. Not only for them but also for everyone else that wants to join our religion. Also, I would like to be the priest of said temple".

"That shouldn't be difficult to get" he replied "Are you sure you don't want anything else?".

"That's all your highness" Kikio answered firmly, bowing in gratefulness.

"Then so be it, we'll get to the building process after our wedding" Izana assured her "But before that we need to finish with the enemies that dared putting foot on our home" my fiancé murmured in my ear, smile never leaving his face.

 _Oh, goodness. He is just as good as I am with deceive. I can see how furious he is, but makes sure no one notices it as well._ I think delighted by the prospect of someone I can finally consider my equal, without the fear of supressing myself for him.

Two weeks passed, two weeks full of scheming and planning, two weeks of preparations not only for the coronation but also for the wedding. We have to have it as soon as we can, we fear that during our moment of passion we could have conceived. In case of that we wanted to have the wedding as soon as possible to not rise suspicions about me not being a virgin before marriage.

So when the day of the coronation came, we were ready.

"Sakura, Yurika" I heard the voice of my mother calling out for us.

I turned around just in time to return her hug "Mother, father. How was the journey?" I asked.

"Good, long and tiring" my father answered with a smile and pride shinning in his eyes. I almost sighed sadly. If he would have only seen me like that when I returned from home and not only because I chose a husband... one that was a king to say the least "Would you present us?" he requested.

"Of course" I replied "Mother, father this is Izana Wistalia King of Clarines, my fiancé and Yurika's new adopted father" I smiled sweetly at him "Izana love, these are my parents Zero Novoka and Karin Novoka, the Kng and Qeen of Japan".

"It's an honour to finally meet you, I hope you've been enjoying the festivities" my fiancé said politely, I believe that I am the only one who noticed the resentment he held for my parents for the way they treated me less just because I am a woman.

"The evening has been marvellous so far" my mother replied, batting her eyelashes charmingly. She is a beautiful woman and that trick would have worked with any other man, but unluckily for her I had a tight hold of his heart "We are looking forward for the rest of it, and for the wedding as well. Now if you excuse us, I believe that those are the Xander's family and are calling for us" with that said she disappeared in the crowd of people with my father. I almost laughed at how ridiculous she looked pouting because a man didn't fall on his knees for her.

"How can you stand her?" he murmured in my ear, making me chuckle.

"She is my mother, I have to" was my short reply, I would have said more but Lord Haruka interrupted us.

It seems like the assassin team that were sent to attack the royal family during the coronation has been dealt with. Inuyasha, on of my guards, recognised a tattoo that the dead assassin had. It was like an initiation process everyone in **The Legue of Demons** had to go through. After he explained to us how they worked and what they will surely do to get through the guards, Izana and I worked a counterattack. I let him borrow my team, as long as Obi tagged with Yurika and I. The two of us would be enough to protect her and ourselves if it had been necessary.

"What do you plan to do with them?" I asked him lowly, making sure no one hears us, smile on place so no one would think something isn't going as it should.

"Kill them and dispose their bodies" he answered "We can't let anyone know that someone was able to pass through our guards, it would make us look weak... also, an assassin attempt is never a good way to start a reign. But let's not worry about that now, let's just enjoy the evening" he requested, flashing me a comforting smile. One that I returned with the double to potency, and did as he asked me to.

* * *

 **9 months later.**

 _I never want to give birth again... specially not to twins!_ I exclaimed in my head.

Izana had been helping me take a stroll, a belly with two babies inside tend to make it difficult, when my water finally broke. After long hours of intense pain and a lot of blood and tears, my baby boys were finally with us. As I looked down to Aiden in my arms, blonde hair and blue eyes as his father, and the mirror image that is his older brother Ethan, in my husband's arms I reconsidered what I just swore. Maybe I can do it all over again... even if the rode was difficult and hard, it was all worth it.

Because this family, this happiness are priceless.


	4. Sequel!

_**Author's Note:**_

 ** _This work has a sequel, it's name is: Green eye monster and sleepless nights_** ** _._**

 ** _I hope you'll enjoy it as well._**

 ** _XOXOKURENOHIKARI:)_**


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